Lubricator.



T. JfHOLMES.

LUBHICAIOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1917.

THOMAS J". HOLMES, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LUBRICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 18, 1917. Serial No. 181,211.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for lubrieating journals. In my U. S. Patent, No. 1,230,299, of June 19, 1917, I have shown a similar device and pointed out numerous objects and advantages in the provision of such a system or method of lubrication and of the particular structure of that patent. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, I have illustrated another specific form of lubricating device, and one which is in the nature of an improvement over the specific structure of the patent mentioned. According to the present improvements the danger of conflagration in the car journal box is practically, if not absolutely, eliminated. Another object and advantage is in the fact that the grease cylinders may be made longer than in the former device with a given depth of journal box, or the bottom wall of the journal box may be formed so as to lie nearer to the lower line of the journal while maintaining the length of grease cylinders shown in the patent mentioned.

Another object is to provide lubricating means of this general character which are more easilv removed from and replaced in the journal box, and one of fewer parts and of more simple construction. Another object is to provide adjustable means for regulating the pressure of the friction piece upon the journal. The same general objects and advantages are here obtained as are men tioned in the former patent. Other specifie objects and advantages will appear hereinatter.

In the accompanying drawin s Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a car ournal box, journal. etc.. with these improvements associated therewith, the view being in the direction of the arrows on the broken line l-1 of Fig. 9 a portion of the device being shown in full view;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the parts of Fig. 1. as on the line '2 2 thereof viewed in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view ofthe parts of Figs. 1 and 2 as viewed from the top thereof, the journal and journal block being partly broken away.

The journal 10 and journal block 11 are shown in the usual form. The journal box 12 is modified somewhat from the usual construction in that it provides greater space below the journal, and the bottom wall is substantially horizontal from front to rear so that the unitary lubricating device may readily be inserted and withdrawn. A door 13 (to be understood as being hinged at the top) covers the front end of the journal box 12.

In the present improvements the friction piece 15 is of metal, suitably cast brass or bronze, or it may be stamped from sheet metal. of substantial thickness. It has extending ears 16 midway of the ends, which ears are apertured to receive the upright rods 17 which are riveted as at 18, to the base or support 20, or they may be otherwise secured. A coiled spring 21 is positioned between the ears 16 and the base on each of the rods 17, the springs being adapted to maintain the friction piece 15 aaainst the journal 10. The friction piece 1:) is maintained in assembled relation with the rods 17 by pins 22 passing through holes in the top portions of the rods 17 respectively. Other holes 23 are provided in the rods for the pins 24 whereby the spring 21 may be placed under greater or less compression as desired and the pressure of the friction piece 15 upon the journal 10 varied. Such adjustment is advantageous in regulating the amount of lubricating material applied upon the journal, the greater the pressure relative to the pressure of the piston springs the less lubricant consumed.

I provide a plurality of grease cylinders 25, which may be of ordinary tubing, secured to the friction piece 15 by threading, each cylinder having a piston 26 and a spring 2? adapted to force the piston in the direction of the journal, with means for retracting all the pistons simultaneously. These last mentioned means comprise the chains 28 secured to the pistons respectively as at the eyes 29, and a bar 30 to which the chains are severally secured. The chains pass through an opening 31 in the plug: 32 threaded into the cylinders. The openings 31 are bell shaped or flaring. outwardly so that the chain may travel laterally on an easy curve. It will thus be seen that when the bar 30 Patented Jan. 8, Hold.

Hill

is pulled upon, as in the directionof the door 18, all of the pistons will be simultaneously retracted.

The pistons 26 are of substantial thickness so as to avoid the possibility of their canting within the cylinders. provided with a recess in the bottom to accommodate the spring 27. The top surface is inclined toward the center whereby the tendency is to avoid the crowding of grease between the pistons and the cylinder walls, and to keep the piston walls clean.

The rods 17 are so loosely positioned in the openings through the cars 16 that the friction piece may be moved freely in up and down directions on these rods. The friction piece may also be readily tilted out of the horizontal position shown. The friction piece is therefore held by the springs 21 so that it can accommodate itself readily to the position and direction of the jour- .nal 10.

When it is desired to charge the device the door 13 is opened, the operator may grasp the front cylinder 25 and press down on same, forcing downward the friction piece 15 so that it will pass under the collar 10 and he may then withdraw the entire device bodily from the journal box. By placing a finger in the eye 30 of the rod 30 the operator can, with a single movement retract all the pistons 26, thereupon he can drop into the piston chambers grease in the well-known form of candles and, while still holding the pistons in retracted position, he can reinsert the device in the box in operative position. The whole operation can be performed in a very short space of time.

' The position of the rod 30, or the length of the chains 28 respectively protruding below the cylinders, indicates the amount of lubricant at any time within the cylinders. If the rod 30 is against the respective bottoms of the cylinders it is an indication that at least one of the cylinders requires recharging.

he chains 31 are preferably of the closed or solid link variety whereby there will be no danger of separation of adjoining links.

This form of lubricating unit, such as any one of the cylinders 25 and the piston, spring and chain therein, may advantageously be employed in connection with loose pulleys and the like where there is little space between the end of the cylinder and the rim of the pulley. In such uses the amount of chain extending from the piston indicates the amount of lubricant within the cylinder, and, as the chain may be pulled upon at right angles to the axis of the piston and thereby retract the piston it is only necessary that a small space exist between the end ofthe grease cylinder .and, for in-- stance, the rim; .of the, pulley. In, such use,

Each is also the grease cylinder, as 25, would be unscrewed and removed bodily for recharging. The chain form of retracting means is also advantageous-in other situations where the grease cylinder, as 25, is in a vertical position with the surface to be lubricated above the piston, the chain hanging downwardly and indicating the amount of unused canlle withinthe cylinder.

Modifications and changes maybe made from what is specifically shown and de scribed without departing from the spirit of the invention set forth, and I contemplate all such departuresas fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In alubricating device, the combination-of a friction piece having a surface adapted to contact the journal bearing to be lubricated, a grease cylinder having its hollow interior opening intosaid surface, a spring-pressed piston in said cylinder, spring means for holding said frictionpiece with said surface contacting the journal hearing when in operativemposition, and flexible means secured to the piston and passing through an opening in the end of the cylinder for retracting the piston.

2. A lubricating unit comprising a cylinder adapted to be secured to apart having a bearing surface for a journal or the like, a spring-pressed piston within said cylinder, and means for retracting said piston, said means including a chain secured to the piston and passing through an openingin the end of the cylinder.

. 3. In a device of the character described the combination of a friction piece adapted to extend along a journal and having a surface adapted to contact the journal, a plurality of grease cylinders opening into said friction piece surface, a spring pressed piston in each cylinder, a support for the fric tion piece, apair of springs between the support and the friction piece adaptedto force the friction piece normally into contact with the journal, one of said springs being on each side of said friction piece and located substantially midway between the ends thereof.

4. In a device of the character described which includes a friction piece, grease cylinders with spring-pressed pistons therein, and spring means for forcing the friction piece normally against the journal to be lubricated. the combination therewith of means for adjustably varying the pressure of the spring means adapted to force the friction piece normally against the journal.

In a device of the character described, the combinat on of a base adapted to rest upon the bottom of a journal boX, a pair of springs extending upward therefrom and respectively at thesides thereof, a friction. ni ce-a apt d... o. eas st. tbeijau taa psi said springs being adapted to maintain the friction piece normally against the journal, means connecting the base and the friction piece in unitary arrangement, means carried by said friction piece for lubricating the journal, said friction piece being adapted to be pressed downward against the pressure of said springs whereby the lubricating device may be Withdrawn bodily from the journal box as a unit.

6. In a device of the character described including a friction piece and a plurality of grease cylinders carried thereby with a spring-pressed piston in each. cylinder, the combination therewith of means for retracting said pistons simultaneously.

7. In a device of the character described including a friction piece and a plurality of grease cylinders carried thereby with a spring pressed piston in each cylinder, the combination therewith of means for retract ing said pistons simultaneously, said means including a chain secured to each piston and extending through an opening in the bottom of the cylinders respectively, and means secured to each chain whereby a pull upon said last mentioned means is communicated to each chain and thereby to each piston.

8. In a lubricating device, the co1nbination of a grease cylinder, a substantially deep piston therein adapted to move freely in the cylinder without canting, a spring in said cylinder and pressing against the piston, and flexible means secured to the piston and passing through an opening in the cylinder wall for retracting the piston.

THOMAS J. HOLMES.

Gcpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatenta, Washington, D. G. 

